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| What is MayFaire Moon Costuming? |
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Contact me:
MayFaireMoon@mac.com
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Who am I? Hi. I'm Nikki Cohen, pleased to meet you. I've been a costumer for almost fifteen years now in various capacities. I started, as so many of us do, making costumes for myself, then for friends, then for sartorially adventurous strangers. I pursued a Master's Degree in Costume Design for a year at the University of Massachusetts, and then one year at Carnegie Mellon University, before I realised that perhaps I didn't want to be in professional theatre, and it might be a good idea to stop racking up the student loans in the meantime. I've studied pattern drafting and flat-patterning, costume history, dye work, and milinery. I've written many articles on costuming, often for a semi-whenever magazine for Renaissance Faire workers and enthusiasts. I've worked backstage in small productions and not-so-small, I've been a dresser, a wardrobe supervisor, and a stage manager. I've been there, done that, and gotten not a t-shirt, but a really kick-ass poet's shirt in 100% Egyptian cotton with dropped sleeves and a band collar. I know what I'm doing, and if I don't, I can think up a viable, effective, and aesthetically pleasing alternative. I'm a Taurus, vote Democrat, and take entirely too much sugar in my tea.
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| My Work
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My first costumes were, what a surprise, for Renaissance Faires, back
when I was a Ren Rat without the guts to actually get off my duff and
audition. Once I'd actually screwed my courage to the sticking point and entered the wild, wacky, and anachronistically schizophrenic world that is the American Renaissance Faire Circuit, all bets were off. (I spent five years on circuit and managed to do so without having to camp, a major feat. But I digress.) I'm also big into the Goth scene, another bastion of dramatic and expressive costuming, albeit with a slightly more limited palette. I developed a quick eye for what works and what doesn't in popular costuming, and quickly saw that while people who could sew for themselves generally dressed beautifully, those who didn't know one end of a needle from the other had few options for quality custom-made work. I also discovered that lots of people would ecstatically leap at the chance to have someone help them turn their grand ideas into velvet and cotton and brocade, and that some people would cheerfully say, "I haven't a clue what I want-dress me!" Both kinds of jobs-and all the pearl-grey areas in between-can be a lot of fun, and I've yet to encounter a client for whom I can do absolutely nothing. I welcome a challenge-is there something you saw in a movie somewhere you're dying to wear? Did you see something in a dream once after a little too much pre-bedtime sushi? Let's have at. |
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My corsets came about from a somewhat more pragmatic goad: desperation. I'm a fairly curvy woman, and finding a good foundation for my period gowns was like the quest to find a good man at a faire: you'd think there'd be a lot of them out there, but on closer inspection, they just don't hold up. The only option, of course, was to do the work myself, and thus came about my signature piece: the MayFaire Moon Corset Bodice. Starting from an early Tudor design, I began to experiment with different fabrics, boning, and patterns. (I learned the hard way, for example, that some boning is definitely not washable, much less dyeable. It wasn't pretty. I think I cried.) Early on, I came across the wonder that is a busk, and abandoned forever the evil contortions of having to tightly lace a side seam every morning, or every time I want to go clubbing. I also discovered that some people-I'll mention no names-tend to gain and lose weight as the season progresses, and the more lacings in a bodice the better. Eventually, I came to the five-lacing bodice I currently make, but, of course, evolution really has no end. Keep watching this space for the next development.
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| Corset Styles and Options
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My most basic Corset Bodice is a one- or two-colour model with three
lacings: one in the back, and one on each side front seam. The front
piece, which I usually refer to as the stomacher, is closed with a 15", 7 clasp steel busk. I use a heavy cotton-poly blend poplin which holds up to years of frequent wear. Instead of grommets, which I've never liked, I use special lacing loops, which, being made of cotton, can be dyed to match or contrast the body. These Corset Bodices generally include 16 to 20 bones of half-inch wide, white-coated steel, plus the bones of the busk. Waist reduction is generally quite good on the sides; the front of the garment is flat for a proper period look should you choose to wear your Corset Bodice under a gown. |
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The next-up model is my five-lacing corset bodice, which laces at the
back, the front-side seams, and at the backside seams. More adjustable
than any other bodice I've seen out there, it nevertheless maintains its
rigidity and support, and does so elegantly and beautifully, though I'll
admit I'm a bit biased. I usually lace my Corset Bodices with satin
ribbons, leaving them to trail with a pretty flutter. The ribbons can
either match or contrast the fabric of the Corset Bodice. I've shaped the
edges of the corset in various ways-one of my own is meant to suggest a heart in the front; a friend's comes to rather Gothic points on the spine. |
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I've done these corsets in all-poplin in one colour, or with the
stomacher as a different colour (a clever and visually slenderising trick women have used since the 16th century). I've also made them in satin, in velvet, with lace overlays, and in leather. Again, I'm always open to new ideas, so throw something at me. As long as it's not too heavy, in which case, give me fair warning and time to duck, would you?
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| Pricing
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In all-custom work, it's difficult to determine a hard-and-fast standard pricing list. There are many variables I have to take into account: the difficulty of the project, the fabrics used, the amount of time the project will take, how much preparation is required, the availability of some materials, etc. Having said that, there are a few guidelines that generally hold true for everything, the first of which is that my time prices out at about $22 an hour for skilled labour. I determine my costs by the actual time I work, not the time I'm slacking off and taking a break with Buffy and some Earl Grey. Also, velvet and leather and other more exotic materials will add to the cost of any garment, as will special finishing work such as embroidery, beading or dyework. And having said that, here's a rough guide to what I usually charge for certain items.
Basic MayFaire Moon Corset Bodice in poplin, one or two colours: $300
Five-Lacing Corset Bodice: $400
Five-Lacing Corset Bodice with lace overlay: $450
Five-Lacing Corset Bodice in leather: $475
Basic woman's chemise (cotton): $45
Basic circle skirt (cotton): $30
Lace handkerchief-hem skirt: $35
Man's doublet in velvet with tie-in sleeves: $350
Very full poet's shirt with band collar (Pima cotton): $85
Ankle-length wool cloak, hooded, satin-lined: $250
Major, one-of-a-kind projects are something I work out with my client in advance, and with very clear guidelines. I require half the final price down, and the remainder upon completion. I can accept credit cards via PayPal, though I must add 6% to cover their fee, and all personal checks must clear before delivery. Shipping is a separate charge-- usually around $15 for a corset-- and I'll let you know how much it will be just before I send out your goodies. It's always best to tell me what kind of budget you're working with; I can often make less expensive but still damn nifty versions of many items.
As I've been trained as a designer, the creative process of working out
an idea from ephemera to pencil and paint is very, very important to me. I'm big on design as a big, gloriously messy, all-over-the-place
give-and-take process, with preliminary sketches, research photos, and lots of communication between me and my clients. As such, with major projects like gowns, full costumes, or wedding dresses, I charge $25 for a final, full-colour costume sketch. If you choose to go ahead and have me do the construction work, that charge comes off the price of the garment. For a small fee, I am also happy to shop your costume and get your fabrics for you should you choose to have someone else construct it-I live fairly close to the oldest continuously-operating garment district in the US and hey, I'm down there all the time, anyway.
All fittings and alterations are included in my prices. I have done
intemet-only work, so as long as you can give me accurate measurements (I'll send you a list of what I require) and ship mock-ups back to me if needed, I can still accommodate you wherever you live. If you're in the Philadelphia area, of course, in person fittings are best-I try to aim for three preliminary fittings and a final fitting before delivery. I've also been known to travel if the price is right. (Clients in London, Bermuda, Scotland, and Atlanta given priority, baby!)
All Guild members (Wenches Guild, RenMercs, Privateers, Rogues, Vampire Hunters, etc.) get a 15% discount. If you're not a Guildmember, you can rectify this egregious error at:
http://www.lundegaard.com/guilds/
One important note I always make sure to tell all my clients: this is
not, as yet, my primary source of income. I still must toil for The Man, alas, which puts certain restrictions on my time. As such, I will do my damndest for you, but I CANNOT GUARANTEE DEADLINES. Obviously, time-sensitive items such as wedding dresses don't have the option of a late delivery, but if you have something you need for the next Dracula's Ball or the opening weekend of MDRF, you must contact me as far in advance as possible-- six weeks at the latest unless you are willing to pay for a Rush job. I will be completely honest with you if I feel I can't deliver your satin glory in time, or if I feel I might have a problem getting materials (especially leather) in time. Also, you must make yourself available for fittings, if required.
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| Contact
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| For any questions, or to discuss a corset or costume, please contact me via MayFaireMoon@mac.com, or use the message link at the bottom of this page. |
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| One Year, University of Massachusetts - Costume Design MFA Program |
| One Year, Carnegie Mellon University - Costume Design MFA Program |
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See above. |
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References available on request. |
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